Can I aviod viruses by avioding shareware, freeware or games?

I have no experience of games, however shareware and freeware are not as nasty as you might expect providing you take obvious precautions.

In fact there are several useful and effective freeware programs that can help you to do this.

The most obvious precaution is not to download, and certainly not to run, anything from sites you do not trust.

Use a good firewall - there is one built in to Windows XP SP2, or try 'Zone Alarm' which is freeware and highly recommended.

There are many effective freeware antivirus utilities, for example 'Avast! Antivirus'.

You will also need anti-spyware %26 anti-adware utilities. Again there are many effective freeware utilities, notably 'AdAware', 'Spybot Search and Destroy' and Microsofts beta release of 'Microsoft Antispyware'. It is wise to use two or three programs - one individual program is unlikely to catch all the spyware, adware, or viruses, etc. BUT don't have two antivirus programs running simultaneously - this can create problems.

I would advise you to run any downloaded program through your antivirus program before opening it.

More details about these programs can be found on my website (link below) - a work in progress...

Can I aviod viruses by avioding shareware, freeware or games?free spyware remover

Probably not completely, but it will greatly decrease your chances of getting a virus.

Can I aviod viruses by avioding shareware, freeware or games?ktm

That is a good start, but that won't protect you. Buy a copy of Norton Antivirus, or Norton SystemWorks. If your just being cheap there are free programs that are not nearly as good.